March 6, 2010
-
How to Make Fresh Cheese: Easily, Quickly!
If you haven’t yet realized how very simple it is to make your own fresh cheese, then you’ve just got to try this great experience.
You need:
- a pot and wooden spoon
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 quarts/litres whole (homogenized) milk
- colander
- 4 layers of cheesecloth about 24″ by 24″
What to do:
- Pour milk into pot.
- Boil milk while stirring to prevent scorching.
- Turn heat to low, add 4 tbsp. vinegar.
- Stir while curds separate from whey.
- Put 4 layers of cheesecloth in colander in the sink.
- After maybe three minutes, pour mixture into colander.
Okay, you have done 80% or more of the work. Now you have some options.
If what you want is soft curds, then just wait for the whey to drain out of the curds for maybe 10 minutes, and you’re home free. If you want a patty of cheese that’s firmer (for slicing and frying, or cubing to put in a recipe), then you can gather up the cheesecloth ends, twist them closed, squeeze more whey out of the cheese with your hands, and even put a weight (like a cutting board with some cans on top of it) on the cheesecloth-wrapped cheese in order to drain it further. Then the patty can go in the fridge or right into your recipe.
You can also flavour your new cheese. When it’s still in the soft-curd stage, you can mix flavourings in with your fingers and then either use the curds immediately, or press the cheese as I’ve described. I just made such a flavouring from peppercorns and toasted cumin and sesame seeds. It was perfect for making an Indian-flavoured cheese (paneer) that I could stuff into naan bread. You can also use this cheese wherever you would use cottage cheese, ricotta, bocconcini, that kind of thing.
Just think. Your very own homemade cheese, in less than half an hour, for the cost of two quarts/litres of whole milk. Give it a try and you’ll feel like a kitchen genius.
CG
Comments (7)
I remember my mother making cheese when I was small. I remember it being in a coffee can with boards and weights on top of it. I remember (quite distinctly) the taste. It was wonderful! I don’t know if this is the same recipe. The milk we used was fresh (we had cows) and I’m not sure what other differences there might have been. You have peaked my curiosity enough that I am going to have to try this! Thanks for sharing! It brought back wonderful memories!
@Emme402 - Let me know how it turns out! I used homogenized milk (3.8%), but of course it was pasteurized and so on.
I really want to do this and several other recipes I’ve seen that use cheesecloth. The question is, where does one purchase cheesecloth?
My goodness, you are a font of delightful information. I have to try this sometime. Does it matter what kind of pot?
@Pepin909 - any fabric store will have it. Walmart will too.
@Pepin909 - I have seen it in kitchen stores, and even in some large grocery stores.
@JVRCisMe - Quite honestly, any pot will do, since you will be standing there and stirring it pretty constantly to prevent burning. Mine happened to have a copper bottom, but this is not necessary. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
I had no idea! I have to try this! Thank you!